Welcome

Welcome to the POZ/AIDSmeds Community Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people with HIV/AIDS, their friends/family/caregivers, and
others concerned about HIV/AIDS. Click on the links below to browse our various forums; scroll down for a glance at the most recent posts; or join in the
conversation yourself by registering on the left side of this page.

Privacy Warning: Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If you are HIV positive
and disclose this in our forums, then it is almost the same thing as telling the whole world (or at least the World Wide Web). If this concerns you, then do not use a
username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.

The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own
physician.

All members of these forums are, by default, not considered to be licensed medical providers. If otherwise, users must clearly define themselves as such.

Forums members must behave at all times with respect and honesty. Posting guidelines, including time-out and banning policies, have been established by the moderators
of these forums. Click here for “Am I Infected?” posting guidelines. Click here for posting guidelines pertaining to all other POZ/AIDSmeds community forums.

We ask all forums members to provide references for health/medical/scientific information they provide, when it is not a personal experience being discussed. Please
provide hyperlinks with full URLs or full citations of published works not available via the Internet. Additionally, all forums members must post information which are
true and correct to their knowledge.

Author
Topic: Atripla Diary (Read 11702 times)

I'll skip to the part you care about. I took PILL 1 last night at 12:40PM, lay nervously in bed for about an hour, expecting David Lynch to be filming in my unconscious, and eventually got to sleep. No hallucinations. No crazy dreams. I did get up to pee in the middle of the night and went back to sleep. I woke up around 6:30am and felt kind of woozy in the head, a bit like a hangover, but that was it. I was so paranoid about the "empty stomach" thing that I waited 4 hours after dinner to take the pill. I mean, how empty can my stomach be if I only ate dinner a couple hours ago. They should really qualify "empty stomach" better in the medical literature.

My short history is in my autosignature, but basically my genotype test came back yesterday and it was the first piece of good news I got since before my diagnosis. He said that I could go on Atripla right away or I could take a combination of 3 pills or wait. I sort of looked at him like he was crazy and I said in my gentle way, "what are you CRAZY? what should I wait for? To land in the hospital?" Needless to say, I'm a little high strung these days. He laughed and said some people wait. My numbers are pretty bad, so I decided to go with the Atripla right away. He said that ALL his patients, if genotype test is in their favor, go on Atripla and do very well on it. The only side effects he's seen or have been reported back to him by patients are very vivid dreams and some dizziness in the morning.

I was worried about the co-pay, but luckily our insurance covered almost all of it, so that was a load off my mind.

Brand new here. I wish everyone the best with however they are handling their HIV and I'm going to do my best to report in everyday on side effects and my general day-to-day life on the drug. I was just telling someone in another post that this forum has helped me so much with coping with the news of my diagnosis. I don't know how to say this, but making this an everyday thing, forcing to normalize the diagnosis, the condition, and it's effects have been extremely helpful to my physical and mental health. Hopefully this post will be helpful to people.

PILL 2 - Took it last night at around 9:30. Lying in bed for about an hour not able to sleep so I popped an Ambien. My doc said it would be fine. I made it to sleep. Got up once to pee at 4. Went back to sleep. Woke up today around 8am slightly less dizzy than the day before. I'm taking that as a good sign. I also spoke to a pharmacist about the empty stomach-before bedtime thing, and basically she said if you're eating dinner around 7, take it around 10.

My situation is a bit complicated because my doc also has me on Bactrim once a day just as a precaution against PCP. Those one-a-day antibiotics themselves can knock the wind out of your system, so given that I'm still functioning ok.

PILL 3 - Took it last night around 11:00pm (along with an ambien) and got up around 7am today slightly groggy but with no other side effects. My partner and I ate around 8:30 last night, so my stomach wasn't completely empty or full, so hopefully that didn't alter anything. I probably won't keep reporting in unless something changes or when my next set of VL/Tcell counts come in.

On a side note, I haven't done any real exercise since before I started the treatment on Wednesday, so I took the bike out for the first time this year with some friends, just to see if I could do it and to test the toll the drug has taken on my system. It was great. I had no problem. It really lifted my spirts. A bright beautiful day, friends, laughter. Really great. Ever since I was diagnosed, I just had this fear that things were going to begin to tank no matter what I did, but yesterday really proved me wrong. I hate to sound like a self-help guru, but get out there and LIVE.

Thanks for keeping track of your initial experiences with Atripla. I understand that it's the preferred drug to use with newly infected patients. I appreciate how everyone is posting their experience with it since it gives me a better idea of what to expect. Since I'm newly infected, there's the chance that I will be put on this regimen.

I hope your treatments goes well!

Dan

Logged

I tried to drown my sorrows, but the bastards learned how to swim, and now I am overwhelmed by this decent and good feeling. Frida Kahlo

PILL 4 - Unlike the last 2 nights, I decided to take Atripla with Melatonin in place of the Ambien I had taken the last 2 nights. Well, I'm not quite sure if it was a good idea. I had this strange sensation that I was being "flatened" or steamrolled over. I can't quite explain it. It must have been a hallucination. I don't know if it was the Atripla or the Melatonin or an interaction that was causing this. It was this strange warmth (not fever) that sort of overcame me and it was like I could feel the Atripla surging through me. I haven't slept easy since my diagnosis and I had heard that Atripla would help me sleep, but it hasn't. I'm a thinker and a worrier and I generally just lay there in fear that something bad is going to happen (even though just the opposite is happening). So, that's why I've been taking the Ambien. I was hoping to use the Melotonin because it's more natural but I don't want to be awake while the Atripla is doing it's thing, so I think I may go back to the Ambien.

Just to add, this morning I did sleep a little later than usual and I only felt the same grogginess I've felt the last few days.

I'm a firm beiiever in the ambien, i'm generally the same as you thinker and worrier, if i lay in bed and try to fall asleep it wont happen. I take my atripla at 9pm, then i usually go to bed around 11pm, take my ambien and fall asleep.

Just a side note to the Atripla diary - I do have a little bug that started yesterday. I had chills, aches and slugishness yesterday but today I'm just a little warm, no more chills. Still have quite an appetite though.

I called my doc yesterday and he said just to take some Tylenol and take it easy. I have no reason to believe that it has anything to do with taking Atripla along with the Bactrim. I still haven't had any side-effects (knock wood) from the Atripla.

Everything sounds in order so far. Atripla is my friend! I have had "tremendous" success on this pill (my doc's quote) and the side effects have greatly subsided. I still have the dreams (thank God! and am still on Valtrex and Bactrim and take a 50mg sleep gel at night but I had chronic insomnia before dx.

All in all, everything's working just fine. Keep up posted on your diary though. It seems I learn something new everyday here!

Logged

Diagnosed in May of 2010 with teh AIDS.

PCP Pneumonia . CD4 8 . VL 500,000

TRIUMEQ - VALTREX - FLUOXETINE - FENOFIBRATE - PRAVASTATIN - CIALIS

Numbers consistent since 12/2010 - VL has remained undetectable and CD4 is anywhere from 275-325

Just want to tell you that your posts are tremendously helpful and hopeful. When I read your stats and story, it throws my worries into sharp perspective. I've had it easy compared to you. I'm glad you're doing well and what you write on here helps me (and I'm sure a lot of other people too) a lot. You're a good egg! Keep fighting.

Just want to tell you that your posts are tremendously helpful and hopeful. When I read your stats and story, it throws my worries into sharp perspective. I've had it easy compared to you. I'm glad you're doing well and what you write on here helps me (and I'm sure a lot of other people too) a lot. You're a good egg! Keep fighting.

Thank you lovedones. It is what it is...nothing more...nothing less. I thank my God, my docs and this big pink pill for keeping this otherwise deadly virus beat the hell down. I am keenly aware that while all of us own this bug, our experiences are considerably different. I just wish everyone could have the outstanding results many of us have seen and I keep praying that scientists cure this ASAP.

Logged

Diagnosed in May of 2010 with teh AIDS.

PCP Pneumonia . CD4 8 . VL 500,000

TRIUMEQ - VALTREX - FLUOXETINE - FENOFIBRATE - PRAVASTATIN - CIALIS

Numbers consistent since 12/2010 - VL has remained undetectable and CD4 is anywhere from 275-325

BIG CURVE BALL ---- I'll try to keep this brief. On Thurs night I went to the Emergency room. I had been having terrible fatigue, chills and fever for 2 days and my doc said to do go in. They gave me a bag of antibiotics and other liquids, but the fever came back. They took Xrays but they were clear. They took about 20 viles of blood; all came back negative for infections. They were speculating PCP, even Malaria. My fever spiked at 105 degrees on Friday so finally the Infectious Disease checked out my skin and said "you've got a serious rash; I think you're having an alergic reaction against the Bactrim or the Atripla; probably the Bactrim." I stopped both and the fever was gone the next day. The ID doc wants me to be "rechallanged" on Atripla by my HIV doc as soon as the rash is clear, hopefully this week.

If anyone has any ideas if they think it's the Bactrim or the Atripla. The rash was all over my body and kind of looked like really bad sunburn with goosebumps. It's cleared up a little but still there.

I am so sorry to hear about that reaction. My rash is not that bad, and I dont have any fever, but i do tend to get really warm during the night. I cannot see the rash any more, but I do have a slight itch on the palms of my hands and wherever there is a joint.

im sure your doctor is going to fix the problem....its probably not the first time he has seen what you described. good luck, and let us know how its going ok?

My doc wanted to "rechallenge" me on the Atripla without Bactrim, so I started Atripla again last night. I feel fine today I guess. I have a little of the dizziness I had when I first started. I've basically been off of it for 5 days and I took it last night with Ambien, so I'm not surprised. My doc took me off the Bactrim and put me on Mepron liquid antibiotic to protect me against PCP (it also protects against a parasite that affects the brain...YIKES).

Ack sorry to hear about the rash and the high fever, glad your okay. I started Atripla back in February, my first week was hell - but I might have had food poisoning or a flu when I started - really bad timing lol.

I didn't start having very vivid dreams until recently, the other night I dreamt that I was in a maze and I had to find as many hairy men in jockstraps as possible - it was very vivid, like my dream was in high definition lol

Hope all goes well now you are off the bactrim. It's quite common for people to react to it. Which explains why my dr was be asking me daily if I had rashes or feeling sick in any way when i started on it.

@drewm. What is a sleeping gel? i've never heard of that but certainly curious.

thanks

Just remember that even OTC drugs need to be checked for interactions with antivirals. I stupidly took an old OTC sleeping pill a few months ago and found out it had interactions when my hands and feet went blue. Lesson learned.

Cant remember the name but it was an antihistamine based sleeping pill. Im on Kaletra & Truvada. I think it was the Kaleta that interacted with the antihistamine. It actually affects your circulation and prevents blood getting to limbs, organs and the heart, yeiks. Luck my heart didnt stop, just my hands and feet went blue from lack of blood.

But Truvada (which is in Atripla) has its own list of interactions. I was just prescribed an antibiotic by a GP and read that it interacts with Truvada. Luckily my ID dr is good and quickly checks every new drug that any other dr prescribes and gives me the yay or nay.

I was "rechallenged" (still can't get used to that phrase) on Atripla last Thursday with Mepron (liquid antibiotic) in place of the Bactrim and I've had no adverse or allergic reactions so far. I still feel fine. Still going to the gym. Knock wood. I take the Atripla at night a couple hours after dinner before bed and I take the 2 teaspoons of Mepron in the morning with breakfast.

I'll continue to keep the diary updated but I'm really really praying that I have nothing more to report but lower viral load...

Just thought I'd pop in with some good news. I have a new doc who is excellent and he took blood on 4/21. Got the results back today. It seems like the Atripla is doing the trick because my VL has gone from 192,765 to 413 in 6 weeks. T-cells are now 311. All other blood work is looking good too, even cholesterol. I just got these over the phone. I have an appointment for a full physical and discussion w/ doc about the results next week.

hey you...that is amazing news....you are kicking total ass....i am getting my labs in the next 2 weeks and i hope that they are as good as yours. that really gives me a great feeling to hear this.will let you know for shhhhhhuuuurrrre.

I've been on Atripla for a number of years and the only real side effect is the dreams. I had another one last night and while they can be frustrating, still the benefits of the drug outweight the side effects that I am getting. When I started the drug my cd4 was in the 300 range and steadiliy progress to where it is now at about 650. I peaked at around 725 a few years ago. It's important to remember that any results that are within about 50 pts of each other aren't that far off. The main thing is to track your progress over an extended period of time to better understand how you are doing. I have my last 11 years in a 3-ring binder and I track my cd4, cd8, triglycerides and cholesterol levels (good and bad). High triglycerides may result from taking atripla or any other of the drugs. I am getting ready to begin taking a drug to lower it since it can lead to stroke. At age 69, being informed and proactive about my healthcare treatment is important and has helped a great deal for the past 21 years. I wish you well in your treatment program.

Incidently, I usually wait two hours after eating or one hour before to take my medication. I have even cheated on that a bit and there doesn't seem to be any side effects from it. Thank goodness for insurance because I would not be able to afford the drug otherwise.

I haven't had the dreams. Luckily I haven't had any side effects and I hope to God it stays that way. I do think it's criminally expensive and if it weren't for insurance, I'd probably be on ADAP/Medicaid or dying. There's no way around the truth.

My doc is very good about monitoring my blood and we have another test coming up in a couple of months to see how I'm doing. My doc is pretty confident given how well I've responded so far. Fingers crossed.

As for taking it with meals or 2 hours after, the doc says that taking on an empty stomach just lessens the likelyhood of side effects if you have any. The drug will still work if you take it with or without food. That said, I still take it before bed.

Just thought I'd pop in with some good news. I have a new doc who is excellent and he took blood on 4/21. Got the results back today. It seems like the Atripla is doing the trick because my VL has gone from 192,765 to 413 in 6 weeks. T-cells are now 311. All other blood work is looking good too, even cholesterol. I just got these over the phone. I have an appointment for a full physical and discussion w/ doc about the results next week.

Woohoo!!!

Logged

Diagnosed in May of 2010 with teh AIDS.

PCP Pneumonia . CD4 8 . VL 500,000

TRIUMEQ - VALTREX - FLUOXETINE - FENOFIBRATE - PRAVASTATIN - CIALIS

Numbers consistent since 12/2010 - VL has remained undetectable and CD4 is anywhere from 275-325

thanks for the diary. could have used it when i started over a year ago. about myself and what i have experienced. i am 42 and was infected December 1999. wow, is everyone different or what? my first night i dreamed every pattern imaginable! this was complicated with the fact that i took my atripla with my blood pressure pill which has a diuretic. waking at night i had to hold on to walls! this continued for at least six months. although the dreaming patterns stuff only one night. drinking alcohol makes me so sleepy to this day and i am not sure that is a bad thing. i am very much limited to three beers tops. oh, and coffee! a strong cup sends me off with dorothy over kansas. list "coffee may result in dizziness" as on of your unlisted side effects. will catch up to see how your doing. good luck. oh is it working? vl undetectable and cd4 300. it worked for me great.